Origin
Sea Bright, NJ
Late night in Sea Bright on Saturday
Local time
3:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sea Bright, NJ to Paterson, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
56.6 mi
91 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 31m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sea Bright, NJ
Aisling Kerr
Paterson, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 56.6-mile drive from Sea Bright to Paterson, New Jersey, is a straightforward, highway-focused journey that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 18 minutes. With 83% of the route on highways, it's designed for efficient travel, making it an ideal day trip. You can expect a fuel cost of approximately $9 for this relatively short distance. The drive primarily utilizes the Garden State Parkway, offering a consistent pace for most of the trip. Given its duration and highway nature, it's a practical option for a quick transit between these two New Jersey locations.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 56.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-dominant experience on this 56.6-mile trip, with 83% of the drive taking place on faster roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch will be 45.1 miles along the Garden State Parkway, so much of your time will be spent on this well-maintained parkway. While primarily highway, you will encounter local roads like Rumson Road and Newman Springs Road, offering brief transitions before merging back onto faster routes. This profile suggests a drive that prioritizes speed and efficiency over winding scenic byways.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Garden State Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 45.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Rumson Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 14.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56.6 miles you will encounter 18 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 14.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 53.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 55.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
14.6 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward Crossover to Express Roadway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Crossover to Express Roadway
7
53.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward NJ 19: Paterson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 155A
Toward NJ 19: Paterson
8
55.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Grand Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Grand Street
7
56 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
|
CR 638 / Grand Street
Turn right onto CR 638 / Grand Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
56.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
|
CR 509 / Main Street
Turn left onto CR 509 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Sea Bright, NJ and Paterson, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll North and Crossover To Express Roadway.
Gsp Toll North
7.7 mi in
|
~12m
Crossover To Express Roadway
14.6 mi in
|
~21m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 45.1 mi | 59m |
| Rumson Road | 4.6 mi | 7m |
| Newman Springs Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| NJ 19 | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| Pinckney Road | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Branch Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Ocean Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 45.1 mi, about 59m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sea Bright, NJ and Paterson, NJ.
1
Start on East Church Street
23 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Church Street
2
Turn right onto NJ 36
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Ocean Avenue
3
Turn left onto CR 520
4.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Rumson Road
4
At end of road, turn right onto CR 520; CR 11
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Branch Avenue
5
Turn left onto CR 520
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
Pinckney Road
6
At end of road, turn left onto CR 520
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Broad Street
7
Turn right onto CR 520
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Newman Springs Road
8
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward GSP Toll North
9
Merge onto GSP
6.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Garden State Parkway
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
Toward Crossover to Express Roadway
Use the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto GSP
39 mi
·
52 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight lane.
12
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 155A
Toward NJ 19: Paterson
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
13
Merge onto NJ 19
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
NJ 19
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
313 ft
·
7 sec
Toward I 80 West: Grand Street, Del Water Gap
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
Toward Grand Street
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
16
Turn right onto CR 638
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Grand Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Turn left onto CR 509
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Main Street
Use the straight lane.
18
Turn right onto CR 648
453 ft
·
15 sec
·
Market Street
19
Turn left onto Colt Street
42 ft
·
3 sec
·
Colt Street
20
Arrive at destination
Colt Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 28.3 mi from Sea Bright, NJ · 39m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.3 miles from Sea Bright, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Paterson, NJ
The final approach into Paterson, NJ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.38 one way
$18.77 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $10.28 | $20.55 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.98 | $21.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.50 | $24.99 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.71
Garden State Parkway
(45.1 mi)
$2.71
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$3
Total
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17 | 0 | $5.94 | $2.72 |
| Efficient EV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.95 | $2.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.6 | 0 | $7.92 | $3.62 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Paterson, NJ
Late night in Paterson on Saturday
Local time
3:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
87°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 12 mph
18% chance
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
40 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 18m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Sea Bright, NJ to Paterson, NJ covers 56.6 miles and takes about 1h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Garden State Parkway, Rumson Road, Newman Springs Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 28.3 miles from Sea Bright, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.38 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56.6 miles you will encounter 18 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 14.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 53.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 55.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Sea Bright, NJ and Paterson, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll North and Crossover To Express Roadway.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Gateway National Recreation Area. There are 4 parks within detour distance of this route.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Paterson, NJ
More trips to Paterson, NJ
Explore more options from Sea Bright, NJ or browse trips ending in Paterson, NJ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.